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The Deputy Chairperson of the National Planning Commission and Deputy
President of the ANC, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa and all ANC
Officials,

Leaders from business, sports, traditional, religious and all
sectors,

Members of the diplomatic corps, Special and distinguished
guests,

Honourable members,

Fellow South Africans,

Good evening to you all, sanibonani nonke, molweni,
dumelang.

Let me thank the Presiding Officers for affording me this opportunity
to share our 2013 programme of action with the joint sitting of
Parliament.

We greet all who are watching this broadcast from their homes and at
GCIS viewing centres around the country, including those in Khayelitsha, Nyanga
and Gugulethu here in Cape Town.

Let me also extend my gratitude to all who contributed to the
preparation of this address. I received several messages via email, twitter andFacebook.

I also spent some time with Grade 12 learners who shared their own
views on what should be contained in the speech. I found the inputs very
informative and enriching.

Honourable Members,

Compatriots and friends,

On the 15 of August last year, the National Planning
Commission handed over the National Development Plan, the vision of the country
for the next 20 years, to the President in this august house.

The NDP contains proposals for tackling the problems of poverty,
inequality and unemployment.

It is a roadmap to a South Africa where all will have water,
electricity, sanitation, jobs, housing, public transport, adequate nutrition,
education, social protection, quality healthcare, recreation and a clean
environment.

The achievement of these goals has proven to be difficult in the
recent past, due the global economic recession.

The crisis in the Eurozone affects our economy as the Eurozone is our
major trading partner, accounting for around 21 per cent of our exports.

Our GDP growth is expected to average at 2.5% cent, down from 3.1% in
the previous year. We need growth rates in excess of five per cent to create
more jobs.

The
National Development Plan outlines interventions that can put the economy on a
better footing. The target for job creation is set at 11 million by 2030 and the
economy needs to grow threefold to create the desired
jobs.

In my last meeting with the business community, the sector indicated
that for the economy to grow three-fold, we must remove certain obstacles.

We will engage business, labour and other social partners in pursuit
of solutions. No single force acting individually can achieve the objectives we
have set for ourselves.

Honourable Members,

I would now like to report on progress made since the last State of
the Nation Address and also to discuss our programme of action for 2013.

I will look at the five priorities – education, health, the fight
against crime, creating decent work as well as rural development and land
reform.

Last year, I addressed the nation on government’s infrastructure
plans.

By the end of March this year, starting from 2009, government will
have spent about 860 billion rand on infrastructure. Various projects are being
implemented around the country. I will discuss just a
few.

The
construction of the first phase of the Mokolo and Crocodile River Water
Augmentation has commenced and it will provide part of the water required for
the Matimba and the Medupi power stations.

The
construction of the bulk water distribution system for the De Hoop Dam began in
October 2012, to supply water to the Greater Sekhukhune, Waterberg and Capricorn
district municipalities.

We have to shift the transportation of coal from road to rail in
Mpumalanga, in order to protect the provincial roads. Thus the construction of
the Majuba Rail coal line will begin soon.

We have also committed to improve the movement of goods and economic
integration through a Durban-Free State-Gauteng logistics and industrial
corridor.

In this regard, substantial work is now underway to develop the City
Deep inland terminal in Gauteng.

Initial work has commenced in the expansion of the Pier 2 in the
Durban Port.

And thirdly, land has been purchased for the development of a new
dug-out port at the Old Durban airport.

In the Eastern Cape, I officially opened the port of Ngqura and
construction is now underway to develop a major new transhipment hub.

The Umzimvubu Dam is critical for rural livelihoods. Preparatory work
has commenced for the construction to begin next year.

The upgrading of Mthatha airport runway and terminal and the
construction of the Nkosi Dalibhunga Mandela Legacy Road and Bridge are
currently underway.

I have asked for work in the North West to be fast-tracked further in
light of the huge backlogs in that province, especially electricity, schools,
clinics, roads and water in the next two years.

To improve the transportation of iron-ore and open up the west coast
of the country, we have expanded the rail capacity through the delivery of 11
locomotives.

The first phase of the expansion – to increase iron ore port capacity
at Saldanha to 60 million tons per annum – was officially completed in September
last year.

Construction work is taking place in five cities – Cape Town, Nelson
Mandela Bay, Rustenburg, eThekwini, Tshwane to integrate the different modes of
transport – bus, taxi and train.

In the energy sector, we have now laid 675 kilometres of electricity
transmission lines to connect fast-growing economic centres and also to bring
power to rural areas.

In addition, government signed contracts to the value of R47 billion
in the renewable energy programme.

This involves 28 projects in wind, solar and small hydro
technologies, to be developed in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape
and in the Free State.

We established an 800 million rand national green fund last year. To
date, over 400 million rand investments in green economy projects has already
been approved for municipalities, other organs of state, community organisations
and the private sector across all provinces.

We have also rolled out 315 000 solar water geysers as of January
this year, most of which were given to poor households, many of whom had never
had running hot water before.

We have scored successes in extending basic services through the
infrastructure programme. Close to 200 000 households have been connected to the
national electricity grid in 2012.

You will also recall that Census 2011 outlined the successes in
extending basic services. The report said the number of households with access
to electricity is now at 12.1 million, which translates to 85%. Nine out of 10
households have access to water.

To prepare for the advanced economy we need to develop, we will
expand the broadband network.

Last year, the private and public sector laid about 7000 new fibre
optic cables. The plan is to achieve 100% broadband internet penetration by
2020.

With regard to social infrastructure, a total of 98 new schools will
have been built by the end of March, of which more than 40 are in the Eastern
Cape that are replacing mud schools.

Construction is expected to begin in September at the sites of two
new universities in the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga.

Last week, we published an Infrastructure Development Bill for public
comment.

We are cracking down on corruption, tender fraud and price fixing in
the infrastructure programme.

The state has collected a substantial dossier of information on
improper conduct by large construction companies.

This is now the subject of formal processes of the competition
commission and other law enforcement authorities.

The infrastructure development programme has been a valuable source
of learning for government. In the year ahead, we will fast-track many of the
projects that the PICC has announced.

The lessons are that we must coordinate, integrate and focus on
implementation.

Honourable Members,

The past two years have demonstrated that where the state intervenes
strongly and consistently, it can turn around key industries that face external
or internal threats as has happened in our manufacturing
sector.

We have seen the revitalization of train and bus production in South
Africa, largely because of the drive for local procurement.

PRASA and Transnet have committed hundreds of billions of rands to
improving our commuter and freight train network.

The clothing, textiles and footwear industry has stabilised after 15
years of steadily falling employment. A clothing support scheme provides broad
financial support, saving a number of factories and jobs.

On broader economic transformation, revised Broad-based Black
Economic Empowerment Act and codes are being finalised. The development of
black owned enterprises and black industrialists will be
prioritised.

Government has several
programmes of supporting small business. A key project for the Presidency
currently is to get government departments to pay SMMEs within 30
days.

Departments are required
to submit monthly reports so that we can monitor progress in this regard.

We have taken a decision
that accounting officers who fail to execute this directive, should face
consequences.

In the 2010 State of the Nation Address, I announced the Job fund,
and three billion rand has been approved for projects that will create
jobs.

Honourable Members,

Just over
a third of the population is under the age of 15. Our country, like many others,
has a crisis of youth unemployment.

Last May I asked constituencies at NEDLAC to discuss youth employment
incentives. I am pleased that discussions have been concluded and that agreement
has been reached on key principles. The parties will sign the Accord later this
month.

The incentives will add to what Government is already doing to
empower the youth.

State
owned companies provide apprenticeships and learnerships and we urge that these
be increased. We appeal to the private sector to absorb 11 000 FET graduates
who are awaiting placements.

The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform runs the National
Rural Youth Services Corps, which has enrolled 11 740 young people in various
training programmes.

The Department is also planning nine Rural Youth Hubs per province,
including in the 23 poorest districts in the
country.

We will also use the Expanded Public Works Programme and the
Community Work programme to absorb young people.

Working together we will find a solution to youth
unemployment.

Honourable members,

We identified tourism as one of our job drivers.

Tourist arrivals grew at an impressive 10.7 percent between January
and September 2012, which is higher than the global average of 4% for last year.

Ironically, the very success of South Africa’s national conservation
effort resulting in over 73% of the worlds’ rhino population being conserved
here, has resulted in our country being targeted by international poaching
syndicates.

We are working with recipient and transit countries such as Vietnam,
Thailand and China and are intensifying our efforts to combat this increasing
scourge.

Honourable Speaker

Honourable Chairperson,

Mining, which is historically the backbone of the economy, has faced
difficulties in recent months.

Last year the sector was hit by wild cat strikes and the tragedy in
Marikana where more than 44 people were killed.

We established an Inter-Ministerial Committee made up of senior
cabinet Ministers to assist families during that difficult period. The Judicial
Commission of Inquiry led by Judge Ian Farlam continues its work.

Through working together we were able to restore social stability in
the area.

Government, labour in the form of COSATU, NACTU and FEDUSA, Business
Unity SA, Black Business Council and the community sector met in October and
reached an agreement which laid the basis for a return to work across the
mining industry.

In particular, we agreed to work together to strengthen collective
bargaining; to address the housing problems in the mining towns; to support the
National infrastructure Programme; to address youth unemployment; and to identify
measures to reduce inequalities.

Work is underway and the team will report in due course with
specific plans for Rustenburg, Lephalale, Emalahleni, West
Rand, Welkom, Klerksdorp, Burgersfort/Steelport, Carletonville and
Madibeng.

Two weeks ago, I had a meeting in Pretoria with Sir John Parker, the
chairman of Anglo-American Plc to discuss the reported plans to restructure and
retrench 14 000 workers at Anglo American Platinum.

Compatriots,

Honourable Members,

We believe that at a policy level we have managed to bring about
certainty in the mining sector. The nationalisation debate was laid to rest in
December at the ruling party’s national conference.

Ensuring that the public services we provide our people today can
continue to be provided to our people tomorrow, requires that we have suitable
tax policies to generate sufficient revenue to pay for these services.

From
time to time, we have commissioned studies into our tax policies, to evaluate
the extent to which they meet the requirements of the fiscus.

Later
this year, the Minister of Finance will be commissioning a study of our current
tax policies, to make sure that we have an appropriate revenue base to support
public spending.

Part
of this study, will evaluate the current mining royalties regime, with regard to
its ability to suitably serve our people.

Honourable Members,

Distinguished guests,

In last year’s address we raised the issue of the gap market, the
people who earn too much to qualify for an RDP house and too little for a bank
mortgage bond.

From April 2012 to December 2012, Provincial Departments committed a
budget of 126 million rand of the Human Settlements Development Grant for this
programme, known as the Finance Linked Individual Subsidy
programme.

The money is being used through the National Housing Finance
Corporation, which has been appointed to deliver houses to people within the Gap
market in twelve registered projects.

A total of 70 million rand of this amount has been used to date.

Projects include Walmer Link in the Eastern Cape, Lady Selbourne,
Nelmapius, Bohlabela Borwa, Cosmo City and Fleurhof in Gauteng, Intabazwe
Corridor Housing in the Free State and Seraleng in North West.

The implementation of these eight GAP housing projects is currently
underway.

Compatriots and friends,

­Honourable Members,

On education, we are pleased that the Grade 12 pass rate is finally
on an upward trend. We congratulate the Class of 2012, their teachers, parents
and communities for the continued improvement.

We congratulate the top province for 2012, Gauteng and top grade 12
learner, Miss Madikgetho Komane, from Sekhukhune district, Limpopo, who is our
special guest.

Honourable members,

The Annual National Assessments in our schools, have become a
powerful tool of assessing the health of our education system.

We welcome the improvement each year in the ANA results, but more
must be done to improve maths, science and
technology.

The Department of Basic Education will establish a national task team
to strengthen the implementation of the Mathematics, Science and Technology
Strategy.

We urge the private sector to partner government through
establishing, adopting or sponsoring maths and science academies or Saturday
schools.

Compatriots,

We are pleased with the growth of our early childhood education
programmes, including Grade R.

We are also pleased with our adult education programme, Khari Gude,
which has reached more than 2,2 million people between 2008 and 2011.

We also continue to encourage people from all walks never to stop
learning. Many were inspired when accomplished musician and my special guest,
Mr Sipho Hotstix Mabuse obtained his matric last year, at the age of
60.

Honourable Members,

We declared education as an apex priority in 2009. We want to see
everyone in the country realising that education is an essential service for our
nation.

By saying education is an essential service we are not taking away
the Constitutional rights of teachers as workers such as the right to strike.

It means we want the education sector and society as a whole to take
education more seriously than is happening currently.

All successful societies have one thing in common – they invested in
education. Decent salaries and conditions of service will play an important role
in attracting, motivating and retaining skilled teachers.

In this regard, we will establish a Presidential Remuneration
Commission which will investigate the appropriateness of the remuneration and
conditions of service provided by the State to all its employees.

I have directed that the first priority should be teachers.

The Commission will also assess the return on
investment.

In elevating education to its rightful place, we want to see an
improvement in the quality of learning and teaching and the management of
schools. We want to see an improvement in attitudes, posture and
outcomes.

Working with educators, parents, the community and various
stakeholders, we will be able to turn our schools into centres of
excellence.

Honourable Members,

Five years ago, South Africa had such a low life expectancy that
experts suggested that by 2015, our life expectancy would have been exactly
where it was in 1955.

It was with good reason that we were delighted when late last year,
studies from the Medical Research Council, the Lancet medical journal and others
began reporting a dramatic increase in life expectancy from an average baseline
of 56 years in 2009 to 60 years in 2011. These reports also noted significant
decreases in infant and under five mortality.

Increased life expectancy is a key to the country’s development.
People are returning to work, they are being productive, economically and
socially. The family structure is increasingly stable and parents live longer
and are able to take care of their children.

We should not become complacent, in light of these
achievements.

Given the high co-infection rate between HIV and TB, we have
integrated these services.

Work is also continuing on the research side. South Africa has
discovered a candidate drug to treat Malaria.

In addition, researchers at the Centre for the Aids Programme of
Research in South Africa consortium, also discovered broad neutralising
antibodies against HIV.

Deputy President Motlanthe has appointed new members of the South
African National Aids Council Trust. We congratulate the team, which is led by
retired Judge Zac Yacoob, as chairperson.

Diseases of lifestyle are on an alarming increase. We have to combat
and lower the levels of smoking, harmful effects of alcohol, poor diets and
obesity.

Honourable members,

In 2014 we will create the National Health Insurance Fund. The
Department of Health will accelerate and intensify progress in the pilot
districts.

In that regard, as from April this year, the first group of
approximately 600 private medical practitioners will be contracted to provide
medical services at 533 clinics within villages and townships in 10 of the pilot
districts.

Compatriots and friends,

In June we will mark the centenary of the 1913 Land Act which turned
black people into wanderers, labourers and pariahs in their own
land.

Former ANC President Sefako Makgatho outlined as such in his 1919 ANC
conference presidential address.

He said;

“The Native Land Act still operates as mercilessly in different parts
of the Union, and as a result many native families are still working for white
farmers only for their food’’.

We are
also honoured, in this year of the anniversary of the 1913 Land Act, to have
present among us, Mrs Nomhlangano Beauty Mkhize, one of the veterans who
together with her husband, Saul Mkhize, led the struggle against forced removals
in Driefontein and Daggaskraal, in the present Mpumalanga
Province.

The land question is a highly emotive matter.

We need to resolve it amicably within the framework of the
Constitution and the law.

I received a message on Facebook from Thulani Zondi who raised his
concern about the slow pace of land redistribution. He said: “Mr President, as we are commemorating 100 years since
the Land act of 1913 was introduced to dispossess the African majority.

“I urge you to accelerate redistribution of the land to the landless
African people.

“When we do the redistribution we need to be mindful of food
security. Training and mentorship of emerging black commercial farmers must take
place”.

From 1994, we have been addressing the land reform problem through
restitution, redistribution and tenure reform.

As stated before, we will not be able to meet our redistribution
targets.

Government’s mid-term review last year revealed a number of
shortcomings in our land reform implementation programme. We will use those
lessons to improve implementation.

Firstly, we must shorten the time it takes to finalise a claim. In
this regard, Government will now pursue the ‘just and equitable’ principle for
compensation, as set out in the Constitution instead of the “willing buyer, willing seller” principle,
which forces the state to pay more for land than the actual value.

Secondly there are proposed amendments to the Restitution of Land
Rights Act, 1994 in order to provide for the re-opening of the lodgement of
restitution claims, by people who missed the deadline of 31 December 1998.

Also to be explored, are exceptions to the June 1913 cut-off date to
accommodate claims by the descendants of the Khoi and San as well as heritage
sites and historical landmarks.

Another key lesson is to provide adequate post-settlement support to
new landowners so that land continues to be productive.

We also need to provide better incentives for commercial farmers that
are willing and capable of mentoring smallholder farmers.

Another challenge we have faced is the preference for money instead
of land by some claimants, which also does not help us to change land ownership
patterns.

As part of the Presidency stakeholder engagement programme ahead of
the State of the Nation Address, Deputy President Motlanthe held a meeting with
both farmers and farm workers in Paarl on Tuesday.

Stakeholders agreed that there should be peace and stability in the
agriculture sector and that the living and working conditions of farm workers
should be improved urgently.

It is also encouraging that even the farmers called for the fast
tracking of land reform and support to emerging
farmers.

We will continue the engagement with both farmers and farm
workers.

Compatriots and friends,

We should also remain mindful of rapid urbanisation that is taking
place. The Census Statistics reveal that 63% of the population are living in
urban areas. This is likely to increase to over 70% by 2030.

Apartheid spatial patterns still persist in our towns and cities.
Municipalities alone cannot deal with the challenges. We need a national
approach.

While rural development remains a priority of government, it is
crucial that we also develop a national integrated urban development framework
to assist municipalities to effectively manage rapid urbanisation.

As part of implementing the National Development Plan, all three
spheres of government need to manage the new wave of urbanisation in ways that
also contribute to rural development.

Honourable Members,

Improving the status of women remains a critical priority for this
government.

The Bill on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment has been approved
by Cabinet for public comment. The Bill criminalizes practices that have adverse
effects on women and girls.

It also legislates the 50/50 policy position with regard to the
representation of women in decision making structures.

Honourable members,

The brutal gang rape and murder of Anene Booysen and other women and
girls in recent times has brought into sharp focus the need for unity in action
to eradicate this scourge.

The brutality and cruelty meted out to defenceless women is
unacceptable and has no place in our country. Last year the National Council on
Gender Based Violence was established.

We urge this coordinating structure to make the campaign of fighting
violence against women an everyday campaign.

We applaud all sectors for the campaigns that have taken place
already, highlighting that such acts will not be
tolerated.

I have directed law enforcement agencies to treat these cases with
the utmost urgency and importance. The Family Violence, Child Protection and
Sexual Offences Units, which were re-established in 2010, have increased
personnel.

During the last financial year, the Units secured over 363 life
sentences, with a conviction rate of 73% for crimes against women above 18 years
old and 70% for crimes against children under 18 years of
age.

Government is adding other mechanisms to protect women, such as the
Protection from Harassment Bill. While the Domestic Violence Act also provides
protection, it only applies to persons who are in a domestic
relationship.

The Protection from Harassment Bill also deals with harassment by
persons who stalk their victims by means of electronic communications.

In addition, the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Bill was passed
by the National Assembly last year and is now at the National Council of
Provinces.

Once implemented, the law will assist women and children, who are
often victims of this heinous crime.

Compatriots and friends,

There is increased visibility of the police which contributes to the
reduction in the levels of serious crime.

The operations focusing on illegal firearms, stolen and robbed
vehicles, liquor and drugs which are regarded as main generators of crime have
assisted in crime reduction.

Compatriots and friends,

Government continues to wage a war against corruption.

The capacity of the Special Investigating Unit has grown from an
initial 70 staff members to more than 600 at
present.

I have since 2009, signed 34 proclamations directing the SIU to
investigate allegations of corruption, fraud or maladministration in various
government departments and state entities.

Criminal Investigations were initiated against 203 accused persons in
67 priority cases under investigation by the end September 2012.

In total, pre-trial proceedings have been initiated against 191
persons. A total of 66 persons under investigation are alleged to have received
R5 million or more benefits through corruption. Freezing Orders were obtained
against 46 persons.

In other successes, in the past financial year, 107 officials working
within the criminal justice system were convicted.

The Asset Forfeiture Unit seized assets valued at more than R541
million. A total of R61 million of these assets have already been forfeited to
the State. The assets are channelled back to fighting crime and corruption
through the Criminal Asset Recovery Account.

Last year, additional funding of R150 million from the Criminal
Assets Recovery Account was approved for the work of the Anti-Corruption Task
Team which comprises the Hawks, the Special Investigating Unit and the National
Prosecuting Authority.

These resources are aimed at strengthening the capacity of these law
enforcement agencies in our resolve to fight
corruption.

We urge the private sector to also take this fight against corruption
seriously so that we tackle it from all angles.

To further boost the fight against corruption, we will fill all
vacant posts at the upper echelons of the criminal justice
system.

Compatriots and friends,

Honourable Members,

There
are some lessons from Marikana and other incidents that we cannot allow to recur
in our country.

Our
Constitution is truly one of our greatest national achievements. Everything
that we do as a government is guided by our Constitution and its vision of the
society we are building.

We
call on all citizens to celebrate, promote and defend our Constitution.

Our
Bill of Rights guarantees that “everyone has
the right, peacefully and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket and
to present petitions”.

We
therefore call on our people to exercise their rights to protest in a peaceful
and orderly manner.

It is
unacceptable when people’s rights are violated by perpetrators of violent
actions, such as actions that lead to injury and death of persons, damage to
property and the destruction of valuable public
infrastructure.

We are
duty bound to uphold, defend and respect the Constitution as the supreme law of
the Republic. We will spare no effort in doing so.

For
this reason, I have instructed the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security
Cluster to put measures in place, with immediate effect, to ensure that any
incidents of violent protest are acted upon, investigated and prosecuted.

Courts
will be allocated to deal with such cases on a prioritised roll. The law must be
enforced and it must be seen to be enforced - fairly, effectively and
expeditiously.

The
citizens of our country have a right to expect that their democratic state will
exercise its authority in defence of the Constitution that so many struggled so
long and hard for. We cannot disappoint this
expectation.

The
JCPS Cluster has therefore put measures in place at national, provincial and
local level to deal with such
incidents effectively.

Let me hasten to add that government departments at all levels must
work closely with communities and ensure that all concerns are attended to
before they escalate. That responsibility remains. We are a caring
government.

Honourable Members,

This
year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the birth of the Organization of
African Unity which has been succeeded by the African
Union.

We
pay tribute to the OAU for its relentless struggle for the decolonization of our
continent, including contributing to our own freedom.

We
will continue to work for a stronger and more effective organization of our
Union.

The
NEPAD programme as well as the African Peer Review Mechanism have just
celebrated their tenth year of existence.

As
the convener of the NEPAD Presidential Infrastructure Championing Initiative,
South Africa continues to work with other champions to implement high impact
infrastructure projects in the continent.

On
peace and security, we stand by the people of Mali in their effort to claim and
assert the territorial integrity of their country.

We
urge the leadership in the Central African Republic, Guinea Bissau and Somalia
to continue their march towards lasting peace for the sake of their people. We
remain firmly opposed to unconstitutional change of government.

We
are encouraged by the developments between Sudan and South Sudan. We commend our
former President Thabo Mbeki and other members of the AU High Level Panel for
the dedicated manner in which they have been working with the two sides.

We
are in solidarity with the DRC as the country battles the menace to its
security.

South
Africa will continue supporting Africa's peace efforts including through
mediation, troop contribution for peace keeping, and by providing material and
financial assistance.

In
this regard, we look forward to the conclusion of political dialogues in
Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

Our
vision of a better Africa in a better world will receive great impetus when we
host the 5 BRICS Summit next month in Durban.

We
are inspired by the exponential growth of bilateral relations, diplomatically
and economically, between South Africa and other BRICS countries.

We reaffirm our partnership with countries of the North, especially
the USA, Europe and Japan.

The
UN’s 70th anniversary provides an opportunity to take forward the transformation
of the UN Security Council.

We shall continue to use the G20 to represent the aspirations of the
people of Africa and push for the transformation of Bretton Woods
institutions.

South Africa’s internationalism has a strong element of solidarity to
it. We stand with the people of Palestine as they strive to turn a new leaf in
their struggle for their right to self-determination; hence we supported their
bid for statehood.

The expansion of Israeli settlements into Palestinian territories is
a serious stumbling block to the resolution of the conflict.

The right of self determination for the people of Western Sahara has
to be realised.

We remain firm in our call for the lifting of the economic embargo
against Cuba.

Working together we can do more to create a better Africa and a
better world.

Compatriots,

In the year 2012, we focused on preserving and promoting our
country’s cultural heritage with particular emphasis on our liberation
heritage.

We also hosted a historic National Summit on Social Cohesion,
focusing on building a socially inclusive, caring and proud nation.

In
the implementation of our programme we will work with our Social Cohesion
Advocates; eminent South Africans drawn from a variety of sectors within our
society.

We are proud to have in our midst this evening, two of our eminent
social cohesion advocates, Judge Yvonne Mokgoro and Advocate George
Bizos.

Compatriots,

This year marks the 50 anniversary of the Raid on
Liliesleaf Farm, the Escape from Marshall Square as well as the Start of the
Rivonia Trial.

A series of events are being planned throughout the year to mark the
three events, culminating in a national commemoration on the 11 of
July.

Honourable Members

We have just concluded a highly successful Africa Cup of Nations
tournament. We extend hearty congratulations to the African champions, the
Federal Republic of Nigeria and also to all participating teams for their
contribution to showcasing the standard of African
football.

We thank all our people for being excellent hosts and fans.

I had the opportunity to personally thank CAF President Honourable
Issa Hayatou for affording us the honour of hosting the AFCON.

Compatriots and friends,

As I said earlier, this programme of action will be implemented
differently as the activities of departments must be aligned with the National
Development Plan.

Compatriots,

Before concluding, let me take this opportunity to extend our
heartfelt condolences to the family of struggle stalwart and prominent human
rights lawyer, Comrade Phyllis Naidoo who passed on
today.

Only recently, we lost Comrade Amina Cachalia.

We are truly saddened by the loss.

Honourable Members,

Compatriots,

As South Africans, we should continue to have one primary goal - to
make our country a truly great and prosperous nation.